Minnesota Native Among 7 Killed in Carge Plane Crash [VIDEO]

PINE ISLAND (AP) – The Minnesota stepfather of one of the seven Americans killed in a cargo plane crash in Afghanistan says his son knew the risks of his job and was happy to volunteer.

Jeremy Lipka, formerly of Pine Island, was one of the two pilots and five other cargo plane workers killed Monday when their National Air Cargo plane crashed near an Air Force base in Afghanistan. The 37-year-old Lipka had recently been living in Brooklyn, Mich. He graduated from high school in Pine Island.

Stepfather Dave Buttman says the family saw Lipka about two weeks ago when he returned for a visit. Buttman says Lipka knew he was taking chances flying cargo in Iraq and Afghanistan. He says the U.S. used to have military escorts for the cargo planes, but no long provided them.

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